mieele



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B- MIEHLE. PRINTING PRESS.

Patented Dec. 10, 1895.-

ANDREW B.GRAHAM, PHOTD-UTNQWASHINGYON, D C.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. MI'EHLE. PRINTING PRESS. No. 550,992. Patented Dec. 10; 1895.

@ w W'-z@@ m-. M0 6% UNITED STATES T ATENT OFFI E.

ROBERT MIEHLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MIEI-ILE PRINTINGPRESS AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PRINTING-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,992, dated December10, 1895.

Application filed J 1116 19, 1891.

Jo at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT MIEHLE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPrinting-Presses; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of printing-presses having animpression-cylinder which makes two or more revolutions for eachimpression and in which the impression-cylinder is moved bodily towardand from the type-bed or printingsurface, so that the lat-v ter may attimes pass freely beneath the impression-cylinder without contact withthe latter, and more especially to means by which the operator isenabled to prevent the move- .ment of the impression-cylinder toward thetype at any time desired-as, for instance,

when no sheet is fed to the machine or brought into position forprinting.

The invention consists in the matters here inafter described, andpointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the partsof a printingpress adjacent to the impression-cylinder, showing devicesfor giving bodily movement to the impression-cylinder and means forcon-' trolling such bodily movement embodying my cated below saidcylinder.

D D are j ournal-boxes, in which the journals 1) b of theimpression-cylinder are mounted. Said journal-boxes are constructed toslide or Serial No. 396,828. (No model.)

move vertically in vertical slots to a in the frame-plates A.

E E are vertical rods secured in said journal-boxes and extendingdownwardly to points near the bottom of the frame-plates. As apreferableand convenient construction the rods E E are held in place and guided attheir lower ends by being inserted in guidepassages e 6, formed in theframerplates in the manner illustrated.

F F are coiled springs located beneath the said journal-boxes andbetween the same and stationary cross-pieces A A of the frameplates andoperating to lift said boxes, and thereby tending to hold theimpression-cylinder in an elevated position. Said springs F F are hereinshown as placed around the rods E E; but they may be otherwise locatedor arranged, as found desirable or convenient, or counterbalance Weightsmay ob- 7o viously be used in place of said springs.

G is a rock-shaft extending horizontally across the machine-frame andresting at its ends in bearings f f in the lower parts of theframe-plates A A. Said rock-shaft is provided near its ends and at apoint vertically beneath the bearing-boxes E E of the impressioncylinder with eccentrics or eccentric parts G G, which engage yokes H H,connected with the rods E E. To afford adjustable con- 8o nection of theyokes H H with the said rods, the latter pass through vertical holes inthe ends of the yokes, and nuts f f f f are placed upon threaded partsof the rods above and below the yokes and bear against the latter, so asto adjustably hold the same in place on the rods. It follows from thisconstruc tion that when the rock-shaft G is turned or oscillated in itsbearings the impression-cylinder will be moved bodily in a verticaldirection, the same being drawn downwardly against the action of thelifting-springs when the rock-shaft is turned in one direction andallowed to rise when the rock-shaft is turned in the opposite direction;The adjusting- 9 5 nuts f f f f enable the vertical position of theimpression cylinder to be changed for the purpose of accuratelyadjusting the said cylinder relatively to the type-bed, or, in otherwords, for determining the press- I00 ure of the type against thecylinder in printing. Upon one end of the rock-shaft is rigidly secureda radial arm g, through the medium of which a rocking or oscillatorymovement is transmitted to said rock-shaft. The movement of this arm inone direction is limited by a pin g, secured in the frame-plate A, saidarm and pin being so arranged that the arm will strike the pin and limitthe further rotation of the rock-shaft when the impression-cylinder isat the upward limit of its movement, the arm being thrown in a directiontoward the pin by the action of the lifting-sprin gs hereinbeforedescribed. The contact of said arm g with the pin therefore serves bothto limit the upward movement of the impression cylinder and to determinethe position of the arm g when the impressioncylinder is lifted.

I is a swinging arm pivoted on the end of the rock-shaft G which extendsoutside of or beyond the arm g. Pivoted to the outer or free end of thearm I is a dog J, which is provided near its free end, or that remotefrom the arm I, with a notch j, adapted to receive the end of the arm gof the rock-shaft. The side j of said notch nearest the free end of thedog is made considerably longer than the opposite side j of said notchto form a tooth or projection 3' which when the dog is lifted or movedoutwardly away from the arm 9 will stand in position to engage the endof the arm while the arm is disengaged from the said notch.

In the particular construction of the parts herein illustrated therock-shaft G is provided at its ends with separate cast sections G G inwhich the eccentric parts G G are formed, the said sections G G beingmade larger in diameter than the main part of the rock-shaft and havingsockets at their inner ends to receive the end portions of the shaft, towhich the sections are secured by set-screws, as shown, or otherwise.The said sections G G, furthermore, are fitted to the bearings in theframe-plates in their parts at either side of the eccentrics G G, whichlatter are made smaller in diameter than the said sections. By thisconstruction the said sections are obviously afforded bearings in theframe at each side of the eccentrics. The section G at the end of theshaft at which the arm g is located is preferably cast integral withsaid arm and is provided outside of the arm with a prolongation or studon which the swinging arm I is mounted, said arm being held thereon by aplate or washer 9 secured to the end of the stud in the mannerillustrated. The other section G at the opposite end of the roekshaft isprovided at its outer end with a flange 9 which overlaps thebearing-aperture in the frame-plateat the outer face of the latter, andthus holds the rock-shaft from endwise movement. The rock-shaft is heldfrom endwise movement in the opposite direction by a flange or collar ofwhich the arm 9 forms a continuation or extension. It follows from thisconstruction that when the dog is moved or swung outwardly on its pivotfar enough to release the arm 9 from the inner wall of the notch the dogmay be moved endwise by the turning of the arm I without moving the armg; but the dog cannot at such time pass away from or become detachedfrom the arm 9 by reason of the presence of the projection 7' at the endof the dog, which projection insures the return of the arm 9 to itsposition in contact with the stop g and the lifting of theimpression-cylinder away from the type.

Oscillatory movement is given to the arm I and the dog connectedtherewith by means of a cam-wheel K, provided with a cam-groove 7c, inwhich is inserted a pin or roller '0' upon the free end of the arm I.The cam-wheel K may be actuated from any suitable part of the machine,the particular devices employed for driving it having no relation tothis invention. The movement of said wheel is, however, so timed withrelation to the movement of the impression-cylinder and the cam-groovein said wheel is so shaped that the arm I and dog J will be oscillatedto turn the rock-shaft G and depress the impression-cylinder at theproper times for printing.

For preventing the descent of the impression-cylinder when such descentis not desiredas, for instance, in case of failure to feed a sheet ofpaper to the machine at the proper time-a tripping device fordisengaging the dog J from the arm 9 is provided, as follows: L is acam-arm mounted on a rock shaft L, arranged parallel with the shaft G.Attached to said rock-shaft is a foot-lever L which in the case of alarge ma chine will have attached to it an operatingrod L provided witha foot-piece L A spring L serves to lift the foot-lever, and stops (0 aon the frame limit the movement of the cam-arm L and rock-shaft in bothdirections. The cam-arm L is provided with a flange Z and with acam-surface Z, which is located opposite the stud 7' on the dog J at thetime the dog is at the rearward limit of its movement and the arm 9 isin contact with the pin g, or, in other words, when the dog is in theposition (shown in Fig. 1) that it occupies when theimpression-cylinderis elevated. Said outwardly-deflected part of thecam-surface is, moreover, so arranged that when the rock-shaft L isturned by pressure of the foot upon the foot-lever and the cam-armthereby moved said surface will be thrown outwardly in such positionthat when the stud j rests on or rides over the same the dog J will bethrown outwardly or swung away from the arm 9 a distance sufficient todisengage the notch in the dog from the said arm. This position of theparts is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When, however, pressure on thefoot-lever is released and the cam-arm returns to its normal or usualposition, the said cam projection or outwardly-deflected part Z willrest inside of or out of the path of said stud j, so that it will haveno effect on the movement of the dog and the latter will remain engagedwith the usual one in the operation of the machine, the dog remainingengaged with the arm, so as to give continuous oscillatory movement tothe rock-shaft, as hereinbefore stated. When, however, it is desired toprevent the type from coming in contact with the impression-cylinder,the cam-arm is actuated through the medium of the foot-lever and the dogJ thereby lifted, so as to free it from the arm g, and thus allow thedog to complete its oscillation without giving movement to therock-shaft, it being of course understood that the dog slides freelyover the end of the said arm g during this movement of the parts. Thecam-arm L is also provided with an outer flange Z arranged opposite andapproximately parallel with the flange Z, and which is adapted forcontact with the stud 7' of the dog J, so as to limit the outwardmovement of the free end of the dog and prevent the same from beingthrown by accident or otherwise out of its operative position or sofaraway as to allow the projection 7' to pass said arm. The stud 9' maytravel on the flange Z below the outwardly-deflected part Z thereofduring the motion or throw of the dog at the time the latter isdisengaged from the arm g. The

presence of said-flange is not essential, however, inasmuch as the dogmay be otherwise guided, or it may be allowed to slide upon or ride overthe end of the arm 9 after it is released from the same, as in theconstruction illustrated. Preferably a cushion or block 9 of leather orother suitable material, is inserted and held in the bottom of the notchj to prevent noise when the dog is thrown into engagement with the arm.

It will be obvious from the above description of the parts that the arm9, arranged to oscillate in the manner described, and the dog J, havinga bodily oscillation in a curved path and adapted for engagement withsaid arm, constitute, in effect, the members of a clutch, which clutchas a whole operates as a means or medium of transmittingmotion from theother operating parts of the machine to the impression-cylinder formoving-the latter bodily, and the members of which clutch can beseparated or disengaged at will, so as v to prevent the transmission ofsuch motion and to arrest the bodily movement of the impression-cylinderwhen desired.

An important advantage is gained by mounting the arm which carries theclutchdog directly on the rock-shaft, for the reason that in thisconstruction the said arm normally or commonly, in the usual operationof the machine, turns or oscillates with said rock-shaft. on its pivotonly when the parts of the clutch are disengaged and theimpression-cylinder is out of operation. As a consequence the frictionwhich would result from the continuous oscillation of said arm on itspivot is avoided, and the parts are made more dura- The said clutch-armthus turns ble by avoidance of the friction and consequent wear whichwould result if said arm were independently pivoted on the frame.

An important feature of my invention is that embraced in theconstruction by which the cam-plate or the cam-surface thereof acts todisengage the members of the clutch or to hold the same in position toprevent engagement thereof when the impression-cylinder is in a positionremote from the type-bed and at such time only, so that when thecam-plate is actuated it will have no effect upon the clutch and willfail to disengage the parts thereofduring the movement of theimpression-cylinder, but will act upon the clutch at the time theimpression-cylinder is returning to its normal position after havingbeen depressed or having been brought into position for printing. Thismay be more readily understood by observation of the fact that theoutwardly-deflected part Z of the camplate herein shown is arranged toact upon the stud f of the dog J when said dog reaches the backwardlimit of its throw, or, in other words, when the notch of the dog isengaged with the arm 9 andthe latter is in contact with the pin or stopg. If the cam-plate is moved or shifted by the operator at any pointduring the forward or backward movement of the dog, it will have noeffect until the dog nearly reaches the rearward limit of its stroke,when the stud will ride upwardly on the said cam-surface Z and will bethereby lifted or thrown outwardly free from the arm g at the time thesaid arm is restored to its normal position in contact with the pin g,it being of course understood that the springs which act to lift theimpression-cylinder will hold the said arm positively against the pinwhen the dog is thus released from the said arm. It follows that theoperator may move or actuate the cam-plate at any time after the dogbegins its forward movement, and the depression of the cylinder and theprinting of the sheet will take place without interruption by reason ofsuch movement of the cam-plate, but that, if the operators foot remainson the fo0t-lever and the camplate is held in its shifted position, theimpression-cylinder will remain elevated during the next or succeedingmovement of the type-bed. It will also be understood that in case thecam-plate is moved while the dog J and arm G are at rest and at thebackward limit of their movement, or, in other words, during the timethe stud 2' is in the concentric portion of the cam-groove k nearest thecenter of the wheel, the dog will be thrown outward and released fromthe arm 9, so that when the dog begins its forward movement it willremain disengaged from the arm 9 and complete its full stroke withoutmoving said arm or shifting the impression-roller. Among otherdisadvantages which would result from the release of the dog from thearm g during the downward or upward movement of the impression-cylinderwould be that the cylinder would in such case, on the release of theparts of the clutch, be thrown forcibly upward by the lifting-springs,and thereby objectionably jar the machine.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with an impression cylinder,of means for giving bodily movement to the cylinder comprising arock-shaftgvhich is connected with and actuates the cylinder, anoscillating clutch -arm attached to said shaft, a clutch-dog, an arm forsupporting the clutch-dog pivoted on said rock-shaft, means foractuating the said pivoted arm, and a tripping device for disengagingthe clutchdog from the clutch-arm, substantially as described.

2. The combination with an impression cylinder, of a rock-shaftconnected with and giving bodily movement to the same, a clutchconsisting of a clutch-arm rigidly attached to said rock-shaft, asupporting arm pivoted upon the rock-shaft, means for actuating saidsupporting arm a clutch-dog pivoted to said supporting arm and adaptedto engage theclutch-arm, and a movable cam-plate adapted to engage andmove the clutch-dog for releasing it from the clutch-arm, substantiallyas described.

3. The combination with an impression cylinder, of a rock-shaftconnected with and giving movement to the cylinder, a clutch-arm rigidlyattached to the rock-shaft, an oscillating arm mounted on saidrock-shaft, a clutchdog pivoted to said arm, a cam'wheel engaged withand giving motion to said arm, and a tripping device for disconnectingthe dog from the clutch-arm, substantially as described.

4. The combination with an impression cylinder, of means for moving thesame bodily, embracing a rock-shaft, which is connected with and movesthe impression cylinder, a clutch-arm attached to the rock-shaft,a'supporting arm mounted on the rock-sl1aft, an oscillating dog pivotedon the said supporting arm and provided with anotch to engage theclutch-arm, and also with a laterally proj ecting stud, and a movablecam plate located at one side of the dog and provided with an outwardlydeflected part acting on the said stud to disengage the dog from theclutcharm, substantially as described.

5. The combination with an impression cylinder, of means for bodilymoving the same comprising a separable clutch consisting of twodetachable parts, to wit, a pivotally supported clutch-armintermediately connected with and giving movement to the cylinder, and abodily oscillating clutch dog which is actuated from or by one of theoperative parts of the machine and is provided with a laterallyprojecting stud, and means for moving the clutch-dog, comprising acam-plate provided with a flange to arrest the outward movement of thedog, and a cam surface for moving the clutch-dog to disengage it fromthe clutch-arm, substantially as described.

6. The combination with an impression cylinder, of means for givingbodily movement to the cylinder, comprising arock-shaft which isconnected with and moves the cylinder, a clutch-arm rigidly attachedthereto, a clutchvdog, an oscillating arm mounted on the rockshaft, towhich said dog is pivoted, a cam for actuating the said oscillating arm,and means limiting the movement of the dog in a direction away from theclutch arm, said dog being provided with a projection adapted to engagethe clutch-arm'when the dog is swung away from said arm, substantially,as described.

7. The combination with an impression cylinder, of means for bodilymoving the same, comprising a rock-shaft connected with and moving saidcylinder, a clutch-arm rigidly attached to said rock-shaft, a supportingarm mounted on the rock-shaft, a clutch -dog mounted on the saidsupporting arm, provided with a laterally projecting stud, means formoving the clutch-dog, comprising a camplate having a surface to engagethe said stud, a rock-shaft supporting said cam-plate, and a foot-leverattached to the rock-shaft, substantially as described. V

8. The combination with an impression cylinder and movable bearingssupporting the same, of springs applied tosaid bearings for moving thecylinder, means for bodily moving the impression cylinder against theaction of the springs, comprising a clutch device consisting of twoparts, to wit, a pivotally supported clutch-arm which is connected withthe cylinder bearings, a stop limiting the movement of said clutch armunder the action of said springs, abodily oscillating clutchdog which isactuated from or by one of the operative parts of the machine, and meansfor moving the clutch-dog to disengage the parts of the clutchcomprising a cam-plate having a cam surface located in position toengage the dog and hold the same free from the clutch-arm when thelatter is held in contact with the said stop, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT MIEI-ILE. Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE PooLE, GEORGE W. HIGGINS, Jr.

